Image courtesy of flickr user Kaibara87

Last week, I got naked (i.e., confessed a sin) in "Getting Naked Here," and I was surprised at the response.

I felt uncomfortable as I wrote last week, but I am happy to write today about the unexpected benefits of nakedness.

Publishing "Getting Naked Here" was difficult because I was publicly crucifying my pride/my desire to look good and my insecurities. Yet when the Spirit nudges, I have learned it is best to obey.

I can say I believe that the zipline will hold me and that I won't fall, but that belief is worthless until I jump and experience flight.

Will I trust that the scaffolding of God's love will hold me when I reveal my nakedness?

My TOP 10 LIST of the UNEXPECTED BENEFITS/BLESSINGS OF NAKEDNESS/CONFESSION:

1. I felt unburdened/lighter/cleansed/forgiven.
2. I experienced greater intimacy with God. It is like what you experience (hopefully) when you share deeply with another and s/he does not reject you but welcomes you with heart and arms wide open.
3. FREEDOM from the discomfort of the Holy Spirit breathing down my neck.
4. Discovered greater community with other bloggers, and made some new friends. Always love making friends.
5. Learned I wasn't the only one who struggled...felt less alone. THANKS for all the kind/heartfelt comments. So Blessed!
6. Encouraged by how others were encouraged to also get naked.
7. Felt the JOY that comes from pleasing God. Free to be joyful.
8. Experienced the reality and promise fulfilled of worshipping God (Romans 12:1,2; see below).
9. Increased my trust in God's unconditional love for me.
10. My faith in God's promise to forgive me when I confess (I John 1:9) grew.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers,^[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.^{[b] 2}  Do not be conformed to this world,^[c] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[d] Romans 12:1,2 ESV

How can you worship God today by getting naked/confessing?

How have you experienced God's good, acceptable, and perfect will when you have worshipped Him with your body/actions?

It is always a gift to hear from you. Very grateful.

COUNTING BLESSINGS WITH ANN:

• Saw my first white butterfly of the year in our backyard.
• For the gift of repentance, confession and forgiveness.
• Visit with my friend D.
  
• Blueberries on warm oatmeal.
• Celebrating friend's birthday dinner and meeting women with a strong heart to pray for the church in America.
• Sunflowers in a vase that have lasted over a week and a half.
• Got our girl one of the last four spots in a summer theater camp.
• Answered prayer for hubby.
• Hubby and I had a lunch date while our girl was at a birthday party.
  
• God's challenge that He wants me to be more than "nice" ... hope to write about it this Wednesday...By God's grace.
  

I am linking with four God-graced sisters' blogs today: talented L.L. Barkat, encouraging Laura Boggess of Playdates with God, and wise Ann VosKamp at her blog:"A Holy Experience" and last but not least, gracious Michelle of "Graceful."[her button "Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday" is below]

Be encouraged and visit each of their beautiful blogs! 

© Soul Stops/Dolly Lee 2012.   Creative Commons License: Okay for noncommercial use if you attribute this post to me and link to my permalink and blog.

Image courtesy of: findstuff22

I read my dear friend Jennifer's post "Get Naked," and the Spirit comes breathing hard down my neck. I feel uncomfortable.

Before I lose my nerve, I confess "that I wish that I didn't care if anyone commented on my blog and that I was so completely secure in my identity as God's beloved child that it didn't matter, but I struggle with my insecurities..."

The Spirit's breath cooled and I felt release.

Although I do not write for comments, and I truly enjoy getting to know you through your words, I admit that having you share a kind comment does positively affect my self-worth more than it probably should.

It is idolatry and I ask God to forgive me for not resting my identity 100% in His love for me. I ask Him to help me to write only for Him and to encourage another.

And I must trust that when I pray (which I do before I post), then God is in it. He is bigger than my insecurities and in-process writing.

I am aware of how much I need to learn about God, writing and blogging.

It is His unconditional love for me that enables me to push past my fears and hit publish. (1 John 4:18-19)

He is so gracious and He never condemns me when I confess to Him. (Romans 8:1)

"In Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes,

• Confession in the presence of another believer is the most profound kind of humiliation.  It hurts, makes one feel small; it deals a terrible blow to one’s pride . . . but we cannot find the cross of Jesus if we are afraid of going to the place where Jesus can be found, to the public death of the sinner."

Please read the rest of Jennifer's amazing post and listen to the sermon that motivated her to confess here.

Is God nudging you to get naked and confess a sin (little, medium, or big)?

It doesn't matter the size of the sin, what matters is your willingness to get naked before Him (and maybe, a trusted friend).

I have noticed that the closer one gets to God, the more one is aware of one's sin and His Holiness. Not in a "walk on eggshells" sort of way, but more of a "I need to confess, and boy, am I glad He forgives me."

It produces a humble gratitude for His undeserved eyes of love and arms open wide.

God will forgive us, but we need to confess and choose change.

⁹  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:9,10 ESV

P.S.  I will be sharing a healthy recipe on Tuesday, March 20, at my new friend Barbie's blog .  She started a Healthy Living Series and here is her button below so you can visit her. 

Giving thanks with Ann:

• Could you please pray with me for those suffering from recent storms, shootings and various tragedies...pray for God's comfort and provision for them.  Thanks.
• For His ready forgiveness when I confess my sins and I repent/change
• For His grace and how He doesn't condemn me when I confess
• For His patience with me
• That He reveals my sins to me one at a time so I don't get overwhelmed
• For a walk in a nature preserve

• Hugging dear friends
• Answered prayer for two different friends after we prayed together in our Moms in Prayer group
• our senior dog Jubi didn't leave any "presents" in the house this weekend
• For being able to worship and sing with the family of God on Sunday
• For encouraging (online and offline) friends
• Planting pansies with our girl
• For God's promise in Deuteronomy 31:8 "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed."

I am linking with four God-graced sisters' blogs today: talented L.L. Barkat, encouraging Laura Boggess of Playdates with God, and wise Ann VosKamp at her blog:"A Holy Experience" and last but not least, gracious Michelle of "Graceful."[her button "Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday" is below]

Be encouraged and visit each of their beautiful blogs! 

Image of flower courtesy of: findstuff22

© Soul Stops/Dolly L. 2011.   Creative Commons License: Okay for noncommercial use if you attribute this post to me and link to my permalink and blog.

Do you ever wish you were somewhere else, but here? 

I have.  But God has been gently reassuring me that it is okay to be here when I am WITH Him.  In my messy process of learning to love and live like Him.

He is lovingly patient with me even as I struggle with impatience and fully receiving His love.

What does my here look like?

Yesterday, I was not very patient (internally) with the woman with way more than 15 items in the 15 item Express Check-out Line ahead of me.  She had a cartload of items, and she disappeared after most of her items were bagged while I and the clerk waited. 

The clerk didn't mind waiting because she was friends with the woman.  I gleaned this tidbit while I waited and prayed about not fuming because, really does this matter in the big scheme of things?  Not, right?

After what felt like several minutes, the woman reappeared with more beer, then she said, to no one in particular, "Oh, it is a 15 Item line?"

Because they were friends, the clerk said, "It doesn't matter, no one was in line."  The woman didn't disagree.

Her words made me think of the adage "It is not what you know, but who you know that matters."  Clearly true as I stood invisible in this grocery chain's 15 Item Express Line.

This is where I wanted to yell, "Yes, it is fine, no one is in line, just me, nobody."  My carb and sleep-craving brain and body did not have the energy to reply.

But the reality was my heart was not feeling gracious at all.  I waited with my six items and did not say a word.  I did not chat with the clerk like I usually do when it is my turn.

As I walked out, I whispered a breath prayer to God.  "Help me to see you."

I am free to tell God that I felt discounted.  Whispers from the past about how my feelings really don't matter surface. 

I wish I could have been gracious and told the woman, "It is okay, it happens, sometimes we don't notice that we're in an express lane."  I wish I could have said to the clerk, "Excuse me, but I am in line and I am not 'no one.'"  On and on.

But I didn't.

The reality is where I do I go from, but from here?  And isn't He a God of ALL reality, including my present imperfect here? I realize there are bigger issues in the world but this was where I was yesterday and God was speaking to me.

The God who came in flesh like a babe to be born in a stinky and dirty manger.  [No offense to the animals present.]  The God, who is so big, that He can actually care about each of us as INDIVIDUALS.

He is not a mass-marketing, one-size-fits-all, God.

I have a long way to go to be formed into Christ's image in my desires, thoughts, words, and actions.  But that's okay.  The point is: I am here WITH HIM.

More importantly, I am free to be here because He is WITH me and He loves me. (Heb. 13:5)

He IS changing me.  Slowly.  Sometimes imperceptibly, He is changing my thoughts about who He is, who I am, and who others are.

The freedom to admit that I am here with my emotions and process to God is the doorway through which I have the freedom to grow and change.

Where are you today?  What does your "here" look like?  Are you able to invite God to be part of it with you?

Linking up with Emily at Imperfect Prose.

Image courtesy of: chirkyblog

© Soul Stops/Dolly L. 2011.   All Rights Reserved.